Protection
by Lunar Dreamer
Summary: When Kagome is hurt in her own time, the Jewel seeking friends begin a quest of an entirely different sort. Will they be able to pull through, as they have before, or has the time come for them to give in and cease the endless battle…?
1. Uneasy

_Er-hem! Yes, tis the start of a new story (I'll finish my other one, Lil-Brit, I promise!) and I hope you readers will enjoy it! I know I adore writing it! Now, a few stats, to make it easy for you!_

_**Title: **Protection _

_**Main Pairings:** Inuyasha/Kagome, Miroku/Sango_

_**Genre:** Romance mainly, with splashes of humor, angst, drama, action, and the usual!_

_**Rating:** Ages fifteen (or so) and up; mature themes implied in early chapters._

_**Summary:** Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sanga, and Shippo have been searching for the Jewel Shards for quite some time, and the search has been far from easy. When Kagome is endangered in her own time, the friends begin a whirling quest of an entirely different sort, one in which they face not Demons or Monsters, but rather their own weaknesses, desires, and dreams. Will they be able to pull through, as they have so many times before hand, or has the time come for them to just give in and cease the endless battle…?_

_And now…the story! I hope you all enjoy the ride!_

_---_

**Protection**

_Chapter One - Uneasy_

---

The sun is beginning to set, only a half an hour's time from disappearing beyond the horizon, and the sky's appearance in the feudal area is astounding. The rather beautiful demon exterminator, Sango, sits on one of the many hills close to the old bone eaters' well, her gaze locked onto the glorious colors dancing in the sky. It is always so pretty at this time of the day. A soft breeze tickles her cheeks and ruffles her long ebony hair; with a happy sigh she closes her eyes briefly. She's donned her casual kimono instead of her fighting gear, as the day has been rather calming…with the exception of Inuyasha's usual rants and growling over Kagome's lack of presence. Two days before the determined teen had insisted on returning to her own time in order to study for yet another one of her tests.

Sango smiles softly at the memory. Inuyasha made a very valid point actually, for right before Kagome had leapt into the well he had yelled after her in anger, "You've _always_ got some stupid test t' study for, wench!" Luckily for him, the young miko had disappeared before she could yell the dreaded word of submission.

Glancing over to the side, Sango cocks a brow as she catches Inuyasha's uneasiness. He is hovering close to the well, with Miroku, lying contently upon a tree branch, looking down on him with a rather bored expression on his face. Of course it's perfectly normal for Inuyasha to be cranky. Not only does he often mope and grumble when Kagome's gone, but Sango can easily see why he's got the right to be edgy on a day like this. For tonight, when the sun sets, his human blood shall overtake his demon.

The troubled hanyou always gets tense before the night on which he turns human. Sango smiles faintly as she pets Kirara, who lies curled up at her side. After a moment she turns back to watch the silver-haired teen pace uncomfortably, his arms tucked into the sleeves of his haori as usual. Although Inuyasha insists that the reason he hates the new moon is because he just doesn't enjoy being human, Sango and the others know his discomfort goes deeper then that. What really makes him uneasy comes from his lack of strength. Whenever he is human the hanyou feels as though he is too weak to be able to protect his friends should the need arise…and that makes him feel unworthy…

"Hey Sango?" The demon exterminator gives a jump, startled out of her thoughts. Looking down she sees young Shippo at her side, his large green eyes gazing pleadingly up at her. His fluffy tail sways silently side to side as he climbs up to curl up in her lap. Kirara yawns groggily, showing off her tiny fangs before joining the small kitsune in her mistress's arms. "…Would you...sing me a song?" He questions sleepily before yawning widely, his own little fangs glittering in the sun's warm glow. Sango smiles softly and wraps her arms around the tired little fox and her pet. Normally Kagome sings Shippo to sleep, and curls up with him afterwards, but whenever the miko isn't here, the young fox turns to Sango for comfort. It's as if Kagome is his surrogate mother, with Sango almost as an aunt figure.

"Of course, Shippo." With a warm smile Sango begins to rock him back and forth as she hums a lullaby that she remembers from her own childhood. The little fox yawns again before snuggling into her warmth and wrapping his tiny arms around Kirara, who purrs happily. Slipping into words, Sango continues the soft gentle song, her thoughts wondering even as she sings. If Kagome is Shippo's 'mother', then who is his 'father'? Perhaps Inuyasha? Sango almost has to stifle a laugh. That hot-tempered hanyou? A father? Ha! Not likely. Then again…he does tolerate Shippo more then he used to; and he and Kagome have grown rather…close. So then…that leaves the perverted monk, Miroku. What is he to little Shippo? An uncle perhaps? Wait! With her as Shippo's aunt? Cheeks slightly pink at the very thought Sango dismisses that idea and instead concentrates on singing, her own eyes growing slightly heavy with the lack of sleep.

Not too far away, Inuyasha continues his uneasy pacing. Something's been bugging him as of a few minutes ago, but he can't place where this strange feeling of discomfort is coming. Sure, the new moon is tonight, but that's not what is upsetting him. It is something else…

"Sango's singing is beautiful, isn't it?" The hanyou only gives a faint growl of agreement to the thoughtful monk lounging up in the tree. Miroku cocks a brow and looks down at his distressed friend before releasing a soft sigh of faked annoyance. "Inuyasha, what's bothering you now? Surely you're not upset about the new moon! One would think you'd be used to it by now."

"Shut up, monk," the hanyou snarls, his golden eyes flashing slightly. "It's not that. It's just…I dunno…somethin'…" Miroku cocks a brow and fiddles with his staff.

"Perhaps it is about Kagome-sama?" Inuyasha swirls about quickly, his long silver hair, tinted red with the sun's dying light, fluttering about his face. It gives him a slightly haunting appearance, especially when he bears his fangs in disagreement.

"Of course not!" He growls, instantly standing upright once more and crossing his arms. "Tho' she does get inta trouble a lot…" There's a faint hint of concern in his voice, and unluckily for Inuyasha, Miroku picks this up immediately.

"Oh _really?_ If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were worried."

"Keh! Not likely."

---

"Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi smiles warmly as her daughter leans into the room, her expression one of pure curiosity.

"Yes, Mom?"

"Would you mind going to the store for me, dear? I'm afraid we're out of eggs, and I had hoped to use some for dinner tonight…" Kagome's brown eyes light up with the very idea of having something to do. She has been studying all afternoon, and to get out of the house seems like a brilliant idea.

"Sure! How many?" Her mother pulls out some money and presses it into her hand.

"Two dozen. Oh! And get something for yourself while you're out." Flashing one of her trademark smiles, Mrs. Higurashi hugs her daughter quickly before handing her a coat and shooing her out of the house. "And be careful!"

"I will, Mom!" Kagome assures her before slipping on her jacket and sliding out the door. Her mother remains in the doorway even as the young miko disappears beyond the family's shrine.

"…Please be careful…" She repeats, resting her hand over her heart as she watches the sun slowly sink closer and closer to the horizon. For some reason…she suddenly regrets sending her daughter out into the night.

---

"Inuyasha, please! You're making me ill with all your pacing!" Miroku complains, twirling his staff absentmindedly in his hand as he speaks.

"Keh! How can you even see _me _when you're so busy lookin' at _Sango?"_ The hanyou quickly retorts before rolling his golden eyes in annoyance. The monk goes to respond, most likely with his own smart remark, but he's cut off as Inuyasha suddenly stiffens, a faint look of abrupt fear crossing his features. _"Kagome!"_

"What? Kagome-sama? Is she here?" Miroku spins around on the branch just in time to see a flash of red and white as Inuyasha disappears into the well.

"Houshi!" Sango joins the monk's side just as he lands at the base of the tree, staff in hand. She holds a sleeping Shippo and snoring Kirara in her arms, cradling their tiny forms protectively against her. "Why did he run off? What's wrong?" She questions, her voice tinted with concern. The monk doesn't respond at first and merely closes his eyes as if in deep thought.

"I believe Inuyasha sensed something wrong…and he fears for Kagome's safety." Sango only sighs softly and nods, her worries on their two friends. An instant later, however, her eyes widen greatly as she feels something brush just below her waist.

"_HENTAI!"_ She shrieks, holding Shippo and Kirara in a one-armed embrace as she raises her freed hand and slaps the perverted monk across the face. He twitches slightly and sighs, placing his own hand over the throbbing red mark.

"Yes yes…I know. No groping."

"…_Never learns does he?"_ Shippo questions sleepily as he shifts in a fuming Sango's arms. Kirara emits a soft sound much like a squeak and snuggles into the little kitsune's hold as her mistress huffs in agreement and turns heel, marching away from the wandering hands of her monk friend. The tiny fox yawns again and snuggles back into his 'aunt's arms before quickly falling back asleep.

"…What a pervert." Sango grumbles before sitting back down in her former spot with a slight sigh.

---

_And there we have it! The first chapter! -feels so proud- Wow! What a wonderful feeling! Now...a few added notes, just in case! _

_The tense – As you noticed, I write in present tense, not past, and I always have. I'm sorry if this is an inconvenience to any of you! And I hope it doesn't take away from the story! I just prefer present tense, as if gives the feel that the story is occurring as you are reading…! Well…does for me anyway… -giggles sheepishly- _

_The characters – In this story they'll be more 'real', if that makes any sense. Their emotions will take a toll upon them, as it does for normal beings such as ourselves, wounds won't heal right away, their characters will be looked into deeper, etc. _

_Anywhos! Thank you all who happened to read, and I hope to get a few reviews! I love hearing from the readers! What they liked, didn't like, what they hope for! Any thoughts at all are appreciated and welcome! Until next time, my friends! Je ne!_


	2. Trouble Brews

_Yes, another update already! Well, the thing is, I may not be able to get on until early next week, and so, I thought, this being a new story and all, that I would throw in another chapter for my readers' pleasure! I hope you all enjoy it!_

_---_

**Protection**

_Chapter Two: Trouble Brews_

---

"_We were strangers, starting out on a journey…never dreaming, of what we'd have to go through…" _Ever since she had watched the American movie, "Anastasia", Kagome has found something special in that song. For some reason she often finds herself singing it, even now, as she strolls down the street, the sun's warm rays slowly disappearing. Glancing over her shoulder, she frowns very softly as she watches the glowing orb sink closer and closer to the horizon. Perhaps she should return to the Feudal era tonight, in order to get Inuyasha. Releasing a faint sigh she ducks under a low hanging sign and rubs the back of her neck in a slightly sheepish manner. An older woman sweeping the front of her store offers a friendly smile.

"Greetings, young Higurashi!" Kagome grins happily and waves to the kind elder.

"Hello, Grandmother Tess!" With a smile she continues down the sidewalk, her thoughts back on a certain hanyou…_'It's not like I really want him here, or anything…'_ she thinks with another sigh as she pauses at the road crossing. _'But he's always so…edgy and reckless when he's human…more so then usual. He'd be safer here…with…me…' _Her cheeks tint pink for no real reason, and Kagome laughs softly to herself. _'With me. Humph. Like I really care…it's just that there are no demons in my time…well not many. Besides…it's kinda nice to have him here…wait a minute! Tell me I did not just think that!'_ Her face warms a bit and the young miko crosses her arms as she crosses the street. "Keh." She complains before stopping suddenly in her tracks at the other side, her brown eyes wide. "Oh jeeze! I'm even starting to _sound_ like him!" She gasps, pressing her hands against her flushing cheeks before releasing a soft groan.

After a moment she shakes her head, giggles nervously, and continues down the sidewalk. What's wrong with her anyway? This was supposed to be a fun, relaxing walk to the store and back, an excuse to leave the dreaded task of studying behind. Dropping her arms to her side Kagome resumes her humming as she makes her way towards the small store just a few blocks away. Just as she's trying to come up with the next phrase in the song she feels a strange faint tickling sensation along the back of her neck. Brown eyes widen she listens carefully, her quick pace faltering.

At first there is nothing but the faint roar of cars and far-off conversations occurring much farther down the street. Then she hears it…footsteps…and they don't belong to a friend; she can feel the danger approaching. Shivering slightly, she picks up her pace and tries to remain calm. The stranger's steps quicken as well…and are joined by another…then another. Kagome shivers again. _'Oh no…'_

---

'_Damn it! Why t'night of all frickin' nights!'_ Inuyasha fumes silently as he bounds up the well's old walls with ease and leaps out of the shrine with a single leap. Silver hair streaming behind him, he races towards the Higurashi household before skidding to a stop and sniffing the air gingerly. Kagome's scent is stronger leading _away_ from the house. Growling lowly, the hanyou bounds off again, his golden gaze hard yet almost worried. One of his dog-like ears gives an uneasy twitch as the trail he's following wavers. "Shit!" He curses out loud, his voice the only clear sound in the coming night's air. The sun's lowering at a fast rate, and his human blood is beginning to stir, taking power over the demon within. He's losing Kagome's scent! If he turns human, he'll lose her trail for sure!

"Com'on, wench! Where are you?" He demands as he trips on his landing. Stumbling, he catches his balance and begins to run down the sidewalk, his fangs bared in anger. He hates turning human…always has. By the rate of his loss of demon traits, he'll be completely mortal in a few minutes time! _'I gotta find Kagome before that!' _A few passerby stare in amazement at the red-clothed, silver-haired, dog-eared being racing by; Inuyasha completely ignores them, having only one thing on his mind. '_Somethin's wrong, damn it!' _He closes his eyes briefly, and fights the strange feeling fluttering in his chest_. ' …I said I'd always protect her…'_

---

Kagome picks up her pace, quickly breaking out into a run. She releases a faint scream and skids backwards, nearly falling over, when two burly looking men step in front of her with malice in their eyes.

"Hello, sweet-thing." One chortles, cracking the knuckles of one hand into the other as he flashes a rather frightening grin.

"_Oh!"_ The young miko gasps, stumbling back a few more paces before running right into another huge man towering over her.

"Hey there, sugar-doll." He chuckles, clasping his hands on her shoulder in a tight painful grip.

"Hey! _Hanase! Let go!"_ Kagome cries, trying to squirm from her captor's grasp. He slips her out of her jacket in one fluid motion and hands it off to one of his men.

"Many apologies," the man from before grins, advancing on her with a deep lust in his eyes. "But we're rather starved…and you're just the sweet-thing to satisfy our hunger."

"_NEVER!"_ Kagome shrieks, slamming her knee right between the frightening man's legs. He instantly keels over, groaning in extreme pain.

"Wretch!" The iron grip on her shoulders increases, causing pain to shot through her collarbone.

"She's a feisty one, ain't she, Kakui?" Another man offers, his grin just as hungry as the man holding her. "Shall we teach her a lesson?" Kagome squirms in her captor's grip, her breathing coming harder, more frightened. The sun begins to lower, the round edge of the glowing orb beginning to sink beyond the horizon. Kagome releases a soft sob, the warmth from the sun leaving her slowly, casting coldness upon the young miko.

"Oh yes…I think we'll enjoy this…"

---

"_DAMN IT!"_ Inuyasha stumbles again, losing his balance momentarily as his long silver locks suddenly darken into a deep ebony hue. Cursing loudly, he grabs onto a nearby lamppost and prevents a tumble into the earth. Releasing his hold he pushes himself forward, his golden gaze darkening into violet as he runs forth, his once keen sense of smell weakening drastically as the final changes from hanyou to human take place. His dog-ears have vanished, being replaced with weaker human ears, and with them…his hopes of finding the miko before sunset.

"Com'on, Wench! Where _are _you?" He demands into the air, ignoring the frightened stare of an older woman who had watched his entire transformation. She leans against her broom and watches with her mouth slightly agape. Just as she's about to speak to the distracted youth dressed in the strange old-fashioned red outfit, however, a scream echoes out…and Inuyasha doesn't need his hanyou hearing to recognize it. _'Kagome!'_

---

"_Let me go! Hanase!"_ Kagome screams again as she's roughly pushed against the wall, her eyes filling up with tears. Pain shoots through her upper torso, and at the sound of a faint snap she knows something's broken. _"O-oh…"_ She sobs, squirming in her captor's grip despite the agony racing through her body. Rough hands find their way to her chest and grope her forcefully. _"STOP IT! Please!"_

"Heh…such a sweet thing you are!" Kakui's liquor-tinted breath almost causes her to choke. Gasping, Kagome tries to struggle out of the man's grasping hands. His grip tears from her chest, cloth in hand, leaving her bear from the waist up. She shivers violently as she's pressed against the ally wall once again.

"_L-leave me alone!"_ She shrieks, salty tears streaming down her cheeks freely now. _"G-go away!" _The man laughs, his four companions watching the 'demonstration' with great amusement, adding their own chuckles of pleasure.

"Sorry, sugar-doll. But as you're not coming freely, and you are a bit scrawny…not to mention fragile…" With a quick well-practiced motion he yanks her left arm in one direction and jerks her body in the opposite. A loud sickening pop echoes out, and Kagome almost collapses completely with a shriek of pure pain and agony. "Heh…dislocated just like that…you really are a weak pathetic thing…" Pulling the young miko's limp form close, Kakui growls hungrily. "Say your last words, sweetie…I do enjoy pleading…"

Kagome's gaze clouds over, and she seems on the verge of passing out. The pain's becoming too much for her to bear. Her captor wags a finger in disagreement, a throaty sound much like a demented chortle following. "Now now…no fainting…" With this he jerks her limp arm harshly upwards. What the girl screams out, however, is not a plea or a cry of pain, but rather the first thing that comes to her mind...some strange word that Kakui cannot recognize…

"_INUYASHA!"_

---

_-squirms- Ewww…a cliffhanger! I am so sorry! -bows- Hope this chapter wasn't too horrible…but I promise! It will get better! -beams and bows again- Please review! And thank you for reading!_


	3. A Savior in Red

_Okay, I felt so bad leaving it at such a horrible cliff-hanger, that I decided to update again! -blushes faintly- After all, how mean would it be to just leave my readers hanging like that, hmmm? -giggles- So here you are! Yet another chapter! Enjoy!_

---

**Protection**

_Chapter Three: A Savior in Red_

---

"_INUYASHA!" _

The shrill cry catches not only the attention of the owner of the name, but the old woman as well. She watches with great concern as the strange boy releases a low cry of pain and distress into the darkening skies. With a harsh sound that much resembles a growl, he runs off with an impressive speed towards the area from which the scream had come.

---

Large hands press against her chest, sending even more pain through out her very being. _"Oohhhh…p-please…let me g-go!"_ Kagome gasps, squeezing her eyes shut, tears streaming down her cheeks in torments.

"Sorry, my dear, but you've seen our faces." Kakui chortles dangerously, his tainted breath causing the young miko to choke once again. "And we can't let you go ratting to the police can we?" The four men behind her captor chuckle deeply, their laughter sinister and frightening.

"Yo." The five villains give a start, and turn towards the sound of the new voice. A lone figure stands at the single exit from the ally. The soft breezes pick up suddenly and ruffle the teen's long black hair that hangs just inches from his waist; dark violet eyes glower with a pure hatred. "…_Let 'er go_…" He demands forcefully, his hands clutched into tight fists. Were this any other night surely a pure demon, complete with flaming red eyes, would be standing before them.

"Ha! The kid thinks he can play Hero! Boys…have fun with the little brat," Kakui dismisses his men with a simple wave of his hand before gripping his captive once again. "Now…where were we?"

"…I said…_let…her…go_." The stranger repeats, pure malice tainting his command. The four men surround him, two pulling out bats, one pulling forth a knife, and the last…a pistol. Not recognizing a few of the weapons, but knowing they must inflict pain in some way, the boy only juts his chin out superiorly. "Keh. Think you pathetic bastards can stop _me_? Funny."

Kagome gasps sharply, pain searing through her chest as she squirms against her captor's grip. "_I-inu-ya-yasha!"_ She sobs, her cheek pressing against the cold damp brick wall as the man holding her tight cocks a brow.

"Eh?" A blank look crosses his sinister face before he chuckles darkly. "So _that_'s who you were screaming for. Ha! Like that young brat can take down _my_ men!" No sooner has Kakui spoken, however, then a low shout followed by a cry of pain and a loud thump echoes out. One of his men comes sliding to a dead stop at his feet, not moving in the least. Inuyasha snorts indignantly, now supporting a broken rib or two from the bat; he doesn't seem to notice.

"Now…_let…her…go_." He repeats again, his eyes flashing. Kagome squirms in Kakui's grasp, unaware that he's only pinning her against the wall in order to look at this strange youth who's already taken down one man, completely unarmed.

"Not happening, freak!" The goon with the knife chortles, flashing his weapon in the darkening night. Inuyasha growls lowly and races forwards with hatred seeping off him in torrents. The man jabs up with the blade, and it catches the raven-haired youth in the arm where his red haori does not cover his skin. Deep crimson seeps from the deep cut, but he doesn't pay attention to this new injury. Instead, he lowers his other arm and catches the man across the face with his fist. The enemy crumbles into a lifeless heap just as Inuyasha skids to a landing a few feet away.

"Ha! Who's next?" He demands, standing up straight despite his newly afflicted wounds. Kagome's captor just stares at him with a mixture of confusion and hatred. Who _is_ this kid?

"Me!" Insists the second man with a bat. The two remaining men watch with what can easily be taken as horror as the youth dodges the man's weapon and brings down his attacker with a single well-aimed punch to the back of the skull.

"Bastard." Inuyasha grunts, wrapping an arm around his battered ribs. Kakui growls lowly, which is responded to with an equally, if not more, pissed off growl from the young black-haired teen full of rage. Pressing his captive against the wall even harder, earning a low sob from her in reply, the villainous man grins wickedly.

"Hiku. Shoot him." Hiku, the remaining stooge of the group, grins wickedly and straightens his arm, the pistol gleaming as he takes aim at the confused teen before him.

"_I-inu-ya-yasha…"_ Kagome gasps, struggling to speak against the cold brick pressing against her face and the pain searing through her ribs_. "…R-run…"_ Hiku cocks his finger…the trigger is pulled…and the bullet flies.

Inuyasha tries to dodge as the sound explodes, and for a brief fleeting moment he's grateful his hearing isn't hanyou. His movements are two slow, however, due to his injured ribs. Something rips through his shoulder and pain tears its way through his very being. Letting lose a low cry he stumbles forward and leaps at the man who had fired upon him. "You…_Bastard!"_ He cries, unleashing a string of punches with his good arm before following up with a hard kick. Hiku falls backwards, and yet another limp body is added to the ally's collection.

Kakui stares in amazement. This single boy, apparently not much older then seventeen or so, just took down four of his strongest men. They had weapons, but even unarmed this Inuyasha, injuries and all, took them down. Dark violet eyes stare violently at Kakui, and the sickening excuse for a man presses his captive against the wall. Kagome releases a cry of pain, and Inuyasha, panting slightly, comes to a complete stop, fear seeping into his eyes.

"Come any closer and she gets it!" Kakui threatens. Inuyasha only glowers and gives a faint grunt of disbelief.

"Keh. Like that wench means anythin' t' me." His lie, as flat out as it is, sounds completely believable. Still holding himself in a proud manner, despite the many injuries covering his frame, the boy continues to walk forward. Instead of acting upon his threat, however, Kakui only stares in shock.

"You're…you're not human." The boy smirks impishly and stops just a foot away from the cowering man and his sobbing hostage.

"…_T'night I am."_ No sooner has he spoken then his fist makes contact with the jerk's face. Kakui grunts and stumbles back, yanking Kagome back as well. She cries out and tumbles backwards into a trembling heap on the damp ally ground. Anger at its peak, Inuyasha leaps upon the man and repeatedly punches the villainous man into a pulp, completely ignoring his struggling; after receiving a few hits of his own, Inyuasha pulls back from his now unconscious prey.

Breathing heavily, the hanyou-turned-human gasps sharply and stumbles backwards; suddenly the pain from the battle overtakes him. Ribs screaming, his shoulder on fire, and his arm bleeding heavily, Inuyasha sinks to his knees. His violet eyes cloud over briefly, but then the faint sound of muffled sobbing snaps him back into the world of reality.

"…_K-kagome_…" Pushing himself up, he tries to stand, but instantly sinks back to the ground. Wrapping his bad arm around his ribs, ignoring the pain searing through his shoulder, he half-crawls, half-drags himself over to the equally wounded miko, leaving a dark trail of blood splatter in his wake. When he reaches her side he gently places a hand on her cheek, his red fingertips leaving a dark mark. Instead of opening her eyes she just gasps in terror and jerks away from his touch. Her left arm hangs uselessly at her side, her right arm covering her bare chest from both the elements and peering eyes. Inyuasha tries again, this time gently forcing her face towards him. "Hey _wench_…"

Tearful brown eyes flutter open slowly, and stare at him with a heart-breaking mixture of fear and relief. _"…Inu…Inuyasha…" _She begins to cry harder, wincing with each sob as her smashed collarbone and ribs jolt painfully. With a soft sigh, Inuyasha struggles to remove his haori one-handedly. After a few moments of slipping, blood-covered, numb fingers and a curse or two, he manages it. Draping the red cloth over Kagome, he wraps his good arm around her and pulls her into his shaky embrace. She continues to sob bitterly, especially when she feels the sticky liquid present on his shoulder and hand. _"…Y-you…c-came…"_

"Keh." He pulls her closer, taking a moment to wrap his haori tighter around her; trying to keep what precious warmth she still has within the cloth's red folds. _"…I told you I'd always protect you, stupid…"_ Kagome gives the faintest of smiles and leans into him, her shaking hand gripping his white undershirt as the tears continue to streak her dirtied face. "Hey…n-no cryin'…" He insists, his own breath raspy and weak. She nods slowly, but then grazes her fingers over his shoulder. He winces visibly and releases a sharp gasp at her gentle touch.

"…_He_...shot..._you…" _

"…It doesn't matter." Inuyasha shakes his head slightly, not completely understanding. His questions can wait until later. "Com'on…lets get you home…"

---

_There! That is a much better place to leave off, don't you think? -giggles and claps her hands together- I hope my readers enjoy reading this as much as I do writing it! This is going to be a long story, however (nearly fifty chapter summaries/ideas written already!) and I hope I will continue to have such faithful readers throughout it! -beams- Thank you for reading, and I would greatly appreciate reviews! I love to hear from my readers! Until the next chapter – Je ne!_


	4. Assistance

_Oh my goodness! I am so sorry! -bows lowly- I kept you all waiting! And with so many open questions, too! I hope this makes up for it! Enjoy!_

---

**Protection**

_Chapter Four: Assistance_

---

Kimo Tesuisa, known to the local children as Grandmother Tess, sighs as she continues her daily task of sweeping the area in front of her store. At one point in her long life she had been extremely pretty. Even now, with her a little past fifty, she's rather dignified and beautiful in a way. Her slender frame has expanded slightly over the years, but she remains healthy nonetheless. Deep gray eyes, distinguished by the long sweeping strands of equally gray hair that have slipped from her bun, glance over towards the lamppost a few feet away. Just ten minutes ago she had witnessed something extraordinary…

A rather strange boy in red clothing had leapt onto her store's property from seemingly nowhere. Long silver locks had cascaded down his back, and flashing eyes of melted gold surrounding slit pupils, much like a cat's, had peered about frantically, searching for something. The most amazing thing, however, had been the furry white pointed triangles perched upon his head. If Grandmother Tess hadn't known any better, she would have declared them either cat or dog ears. They had looked so real.

The boy had held a remarkable sense of power about him, but then it faltered. It seemed as if he was losing his strength, for his quick pace had slowed…and then…he changed. His silver hair darkened into a deep black, golden eyes slipped into violet pools, and those intriguing furry ears had vanished, replaced with those of a normal person. A scream had echoed out shortly after this stunning transformation, and the boy had cried out with a deep pain before racing off quicker then any other Grandmother Tess has ever seen.

"Hmmm…wonder what that was all about…I hope he's alright…" The broom sweeps back and forth lazily, and the kind elder keeps glancing over towards the far off ally of which into she had seen the strange youth disappear. Faint shouts had followed…but the sound of traffic had drowned them out, and she isn't sure if there had been a fight or what. Part of her wishes to go find out, but she has a duty to her small store; she can't just leave…unless, of course, she was given a reason to. She's feeling uneasy, however, and deep within her gut she knows something is wrong…

---

Inuyasha inhales slowly, his ribs screaming with pain. Getting Kagome into his arms, then himself onto his feet had been a difficult task indeed. He's of normal human strength now, and carrying her, while supporting a bleeding wrist, smashed ribs, a twisted knee, and a bullet-pierced shoulder, is turning out to be much more then he had bargained for… His own condition doesn't matter, however; he _must _keep going…for her.

Shuffling out of the ally way he takes a moment to lean against the brick wall of an old apartment. Pained violet eyes peer about wearily, but his vision is fuzzy, blurring the scenery into a mass of colors. Wheezing slightly, he shifts the limp form in his arms a bit before slowly pushing off the wall and continuing on his way towards the shrine that presents itself as a true safe-haven. He glances down at the currently unconscious miko in his arms and sighs slowly, trying to ignore the agony ripping through his very being.

Had he been hanyou this night…he may have been able to reach her in time to prevent her from getting seriously injured. But now…she's been hurt so horribly…both physically and mentally…and he blames himself…his curse of the new moon…

---

The wind suddenly changes, and Grandmother Tess looks up, her gray eyes confused. There it is again…that strange feeling of uneasiness; something truly is wrong. Instantly she spins around to looks towards the ally that has been the source of these 'vibes'. With a sharp gasp she drops her broom; the wooden cleaning tool falls to the sidewalk with an ominous clatter.

It's the boy from before…slowly limping towards her. His one shoulder is bleeding profusely, leaving a huge dark mark across the dull white shirt he now wears. As he moves he leaves a trail of deep crimson upon the gray sidewalk. He seems to be carrying his red shirt in a bundle…but as he stumbles forward Grandmother Tess can see that there's a young girl, about the boy's age judging by her size, wrapped up in the red cloth, her form limp in his arms. Her left arm is hanging at an odd angle, and her face is smeared with blood. The boy falters, almost falling over as he struggles to stay upright. The elderly storekeeper gasps and suddenly races forward.

"Oh my! You poor things! What's happened!" Just as she nears the boy he looks up, his violet eyes hazy with pain. He looks almost lost at first, then extremely confused.

"…_G-grandmother…K-Kaede?"_ His voice is slightly rough, but very faint; a moment later he gives a low groan as his knees buckle from underneath him. Tesuisa gasps and grabs him from behind, wrapping her comforting arms around his waist; she winces when she hears him wheeze sharply in agony at her touch. Carefully she lowers the two onto the sidewalk, trying her hardest not to injure them worse then they already are. Once she has the boy propped up against a wall, she kneels down and turns to the young woman still in his arms. She holds onto her companion's shirt with her one good hand, as if frightened she'll be separated from him. Her pretty face, dark with smudges of blood, is contorted into an expression of uneasy pain, but her eyes are hidden beneath the shadows from her bangs.

Grandmother Tess lets out a soft sigh as she realizes the girl is missing her top, thus the boy's red shirt wrapped around her beaten body. From the looks of it…the girl was mugged in some manner or another…and this strange boy had come to her rescue, only to be severely injured as well. That hole in his shoulder looks much like a bullet wound…

"Oh…you poor dears…" Tesuisa sighs softly as she gently brushes the girl's dark bangs from her face. With a gasp, she yanks back her fingers as if burned. "Young Higurashi!" Her gray eyes instantly fill with tears. Kagome Higurashi – one of the sweetest girls she knows; Kagome often stops by on her way to school, when she attends it that is, in order to say hello, and on the way back, if she isn't running off to some strange place, she'll stop just to talk about random things.

Years of being a mother and grandmother figure suddenly come into play. She's dealt with plenty of injuries before, everything from scrapped knees to broken arms. Of course, she's never had to tend to a bullet wound before. Pushing that fact aside, she takes hold of her apron, thankfully clean, and rips the fabric with a determined yank. The first thing to do is to stop the bleeding. Moving quickly, she tears the white fabric down into large strips just the right side for his shoulder and arm.

With great care and caution, she gently takes hold of the stained collar of his shirt and pulls down, revealing the horrid wound. Her stomach gives an uneasy turn at the mere sight, but she ignores it, concentrating instead on the task ahead. With the remainder of her shredded apron she cleans the wound the best she can, fully aware that she'll only be able to do so much. He remains unconscious, even when she begins to wrap his pierced shoulder, and she cannot help but fret. Even when she puts pressure against the horrid injury he doesn't stir. Trying to remain calm, the kind elder swiftly tends to his arm, bandaging it the best she can in order to cease the bleeding, before she pulls back to sit on her heels.

There. That should do it for now…at least until she can get professional help. Keeping a close eye on the two unconscious figures Grandmother Tess gets to her feet hurries over to a payphone nearby. She doesn't have a cell phone, not being one for technology, so this will have to do. Rummaging through her pockets she finds a few coins and smiles weakly; she'll need them for the second call. Picking up the slightly grubby phone, the kind elder calls upon the hospital, requesting an ambulance for two young victims of a mugging.

"Yes…they're both unconscious…no…yes…the young man's cut badly in the arm, and I believe he's been shot in the shoulder…he was awake a few minutes ago, but he passed out…Yes. No…yes. I bandaged the wounds the best I could, to stop the bleeding. The girl? No, no open wounds that I can see. Her left arm's hanging oddly…and there's blood all over her face, but I'm pretty sure it's from the boy…no…yes…internal injuries? It's possible…especially for her…and the boy had been limping badly…. Yes…it hurt him when I barely even grazed his ribs…no…yes, I do. Her name's Kagome Higurashi…oh…no, I'm sorry, I don't know his name…he's…strange to these parts…" After a few more minutes of telling as much as she can, Grandmother Tess makes a sudden plea. "Please, I'd like to be the one to call Kagome's mother…I think she'd prefer to hear it from a friend…yes…yes…very well. Thank you…"

With a sigh she hangs up the phone before picking it up immediately and placing it back against her ear. Shakily she drops a few coins into the machine. Glancing over her shoulder, she glances at the two unconscious teens lying so frightfully still. Her worried gaze flickers to the sidewalk, tainted with dark red splatters… On the other end of the line there comes a soft ringing. Once…twice…three times…then finally…

"_Higurashi residence."_ Tesuisa almost winces at the sweet voice of Kagome's beloved mother. Although she had indeed asked to be the one to break the news, Grandmother Tess certainly isn't thrilled about doing so. She hates to be the one to bring such sadness…

"Mrs. Higurashi? This is Kimo Tesuisa…" She begins, her voice only faintly shaky.

"_Grandmother Tess? Oh! It's lovely to hear from you! How is everything?"_ The elderly woman winces again, her eyes filling with tears.

"…Oh…not very pleasant, actually… Mrs. Higurashi…it's about Kagome…" The worry in her tone gives her away; instantly there's a sharp intake of breath on the other side of the line, but when she speaks again, Kagome's mother is steady in tone.

"_Is she hurt? Where is she? Please tell me you're with her…"_ Tesuisa has to smile faintly at this. At least she can respond to the last question optimistically.

"Yes, she's right here with me. Mrs. Higurashi…I'm afraid Kagome's been…attacked." There's no response to this, and Grandmother Tess has the horrid feeling the other woman is fighting back tears. "She's unconscious, and has many injuries…but I believe she'll be just fine…she was saved by this strange boy who…"

"_Where are you?"_ The shaky voice irrupts softly, a hint of deep sorrow and worry tainting her words.

"Just in front of my store. The ambulance will be here in around ten minutes but…"

"_I'll be there in five."_

---

_And there we have it…! I hope this answered a few worried questions, but I bet it brought up even more questions. -meeps- And oh! -bows repeatedly- Thank you, thank you, and thank you again for all your wonderful reviews! I adore them all (Especially yours, Little-Brit!) Thank you all! I hope to receive more soon…! Until we meet again – Je ne!_


	5. A Mother's Concern

_Ohh! Please forgive my long absence! -bows deeply and blushes- You see, I have been rather ill for the last six days...! Thankfully I am feeling much better! I hope this measly chapter will make up for it (though I don't think it does. -bows again- Ugh...! I am so sorry!) I hope you enjoy it, nonetheless!_

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**Protection**

_Chapter Five: A Mother's Concern_

---

Grandmother Tess sighs softly and kneels down besides the two currently unconscious teens. It makes her ill to the stomach, really, to think that such a sweet kind person like Kagome Higurashi could be so brutally injured. What the elder doesn't know, however, is that the young miko's been wounded many times before…just not in such a low and unforgivable manner as this.

Releasing a soft sigh, Tesuisa runs her fingers through the stray strands of her light gray hair, her equally gray eyes locked onto the two injured beings before her. Her thoughts begin to wonder as she gazes at the young boy. There's something very strange about him…though not in a necessarily bad way. Despite the fact that at one point he had been rather strange in appearance, hadn't he braved who-knows-what horrors in order to save Kagome? Surely there is more to him then meets the eye…?

Perhaps he means something special to young Higurashi. It _is_ possible. After all, occasionally in their talks, Kagome would bring up 'boy troubles'. Apparently there's young Hojo, an extremely handsome and very sweet young teen, who seems to be infatuated with her. She, however, doesn't feel the same, though she still cares for him. There's also a possessive young male who believes that she's his girlfriend, though she's made it clear many times that she most certainly is not. Despite her insistence, however, he keeps trying, and has yet to give up. But more often then not, she talks about another boy, one who is…different…in many ways. He's loud, and annoying, as well as possessive, aggressive, easily angered, and quick to get jealous. Yet even though she tends to rant about his bad qualities, Kagome's listed quite a few pleasing ones as well. It seems, despite his rough exterior, that he has a soft side, is unbelievably brave, if not foolishly so at times, very protective, quick to aid her when she needs him, and, in the school girl's fond opinion, rather kind-hearted. As Grandmother Tess peers down at the two before her she smiles softly. Yes…it's _very_ possible that this young man could be Kagome's 'mystery' boy.

"Grandmother! Grandmother Tesuisa!" The shaking call quickly catches the elder's attention. Pulling her gray gaze upwards, she catches sight of Mrs. Higurashi running towards her. The pretty young mother doesn't even bother to come to a standstill; instead she just drops to her knees in mid-step, landing in a slightly unbalanced kneeling position next to the two abused youths. Trembling fingers reach out and graze Kagome's red cheek before a faint muffled sob makes it way from her throat.

"Ohh…Kagome…" She sighs, pained to see her daughter in such a state. The young miko's breathing is slow but steady, decreasing her mother's worry slightly. She'll be alright...but that doesn't make her mother feel any better. Deep brown eyes move from Kagome to the strange boy supporting most of her body weight. The worried mother gasps softly when she sees the deep gash on his arm and the hole in his shoulder, their presence marked with the huge stains of deep red. "…Inuyasha…I bet he didn't know what it was…and…" Moving a slender hand upwards, Mrs. Higurashi runs her fingers through the hanyou's dark locks, her mind reeling back to what her beloved daughter told her of the hanyou. "…The new moon…why tonight…?"

Thoroughly confused, Grandmother Tess places her hand on the trembling mother's shoulder. "Do not worry, child, I'm quite certain they'll be alright." Mrs. Higurashi smiles softly and cups Inuyasha's pale chin in the palm of her hand.

"Oh yes…he'll most likely heal in a few days...enough to be 'fine' in his opinion, anyway…Kagome however…well…he'll want to stay with her…" Her words are thoughtful, slightly wistful, as she mutters to herself, her mind quickly sorting out this troubling situation. With great confusion Grandmother Tess shakes her head.

"My dear…I highly doubt the boy will heal in a few days' time. Not only has he been shot, but he suffers from broken bones and that deep cut…it will take much longer then…" Her short speech is cut off as the young mother smiles and places her hand on top of her elder's.

"…My apologies...but...you do not know Inuyasha…" She responds softly, her worried gaze locked onto her 'two' children. "…I…do not think it is…such a good idea to put him in a hospital…" Mrs. Higurashi begins slowly, her words thoughtful yet sorrowful.

"What!" Grandmother Tess turns to face her younger friend in disbelief. "But just look at his injuries! He needs treatment!" The young mother looks up at her Elder for a brief moment before dropping her gaze and biting down on her lip as she silently frets.

"I can treat him…or perhaps we can call upon the family doctor…" Her voice continues to hold that sad thoughtful tone, which just leaves the elder in complete shock and uncertainty.

"Child! Have you lost your mind?" She frets, taking the younger woman's hands in her own. "He needs _Professional_ treatment! Let the Ambulance take him to the hospital!" Mrs. Higurashi looks down at her feet, clearly worried, and unable to look Grandmother Tess in the eye.

"…But…they will not allow me to take him out of their care before sunrise…"

"Why on earth would you want to do that?" Before the fretting mother can respond, however, a soft pained sound catches her attention. Instantly she's on her knees, her gentle fingers stroking the hanyou's cheek.

"Inuyasha…" Dark violet eyes slowly open, their gaze hazy and confused, only clearing when they lock onto Mrs. Higurashi.

"…_Yo…"_ He offers softly, his voice cracking faintly with the forced action of speaking. Grandmother Tess places a hand on Mrs. Higurashi's shoulder in support. The young mother smiles up at her briefly in thanks before turning her full attention to Inuyasha. _"…S-sorry…"_ He mutters suddenly, his eyes growing heavy. Faint panic swells up into existence; the hanyou has _never_ been one to just openly apologize…

"For what?" She questions gently, still stroking his cheek in a tender fashion. He peers sleepily up at her, his breath raspy with pain.

"…_I…I couldn't…p-protect her…she got…hurt…new moon…n-not…strong…enough…" _Despite the fact that his words are soft and troubled, mixed up and confusing, Mrs. Higurashi instantly knows what he's speaking of, even if Tesuisa does not.

"Ohh, Inuyasha…you saved her life, sweetie…and you're very strong…more then you know…" He only leans slightly into her touch, subconsciously seeking the caring gestures of a mother…something he has not had in the longest time. "…Inuyasha?" A soft grunt tells her that she has his attention. "You need medical care…especially now…there's this loud vehicle coming that's coming to take you and Kagome to a place where you'll get the proper care, alright? It's going to be very confusing, but I promise I'll be there with you…" His eyes glaze over for a moment, and he looks confused, but then he grunts faintly again. "Good…but…there's only one problem…"

Grandmother Tesuisa, long ago lost with this strange one-sided conversation, looks down on Mrs. Higurashi with a strong look of uncertainty. "What would that be, child?" She questions, unable to help herself. The young mother looks up at her briefly before flashing the smallest of smiles and turning back to Inuyasha.

"…They'll want to keep you overnight…into tomorrow…" He pulls back slightly at her words, instantly wincing as his ribs protest at even this simple movement.

"…_No_…" He whispers, closing his eyes and shaking his head slowly side to side in disagreement. _"…They'll s-see me…change…I…can't…"_ Despite the fact that he often follows…or in the young miko's opinion…_stalks…_Kagome into her own time, he hardly ever leaves the house. Not without the proper headgear at least, and occasionally a change of clothes as well. He knows very well how 'normal' people react to his unusual appearance…

"…Inuyasha…please…you _need _medical treatment…" Mrs. Higurashi pleads, with Grandmother Tess nodding her head in agreement.

"Yes, child…you're badly injured…let them help you…" The boy only shakes his head slightly.

"_Keh."_ Mrs. Higurashi smiles softly at the sound of his familiar phrase_. "…They'll treat me…like…a…freak…"_ He grumbles, his eyes growing heavy again. Kagome's mother leans over and cups his face with both hands, forcing him to look her square in the eye.

"Inuyasha... You protect my daughter with your life. Many times you've almost died doing so. She's told me of your battles, how courageous you have been, and the wounds you have suffered for her and your friends. _Please_…let me protect _you_ now, as you have done for Kagome. I will _not_ let anything bad happen to you. _I promise_." For the longest time the young hanyou doesn't react…but finally he closes his eyes and shudders. Pain shoots through his chest, and he winces slightly.

"…_Fine…"_ He faintly grunts in agreement. Mrs. Higurashi smiles warmly at him, getting the softest of smirks in return.

"Good…now rest, Inuyasha…you deserve it…there are no demons here, so do not worry…" With a soft sigh of acknowledgment the battered teen nods briefly before closing his eyes. In a matter of seconds he's slipped back into unconsciousness. Pausing only long enough to graze his cheek, then her daughter's with shaking fingers, Mrs. Higurashi gets to her feet in order to confront an extremely confused Kimo Tesuisa.

"Demons?" She instantly gushes, her eyes searching the younger woman's face for details. "Battles? He's almost _died _protecting Kagome before? What's with this new moon business? Did he really change, or was that my old eyes playing tricks on me? Higurashi…explain," She chides, placing her hands on her hips, looking much like a young teenager in her actions. Deep down Mrs. Higurashi is beyond pleased to have such a wonderful friend as Tesuisa. She is, perhaps, one of the few people who would be willing to listen, and even understand, the complex story behind the two teens. With a soft giggle, much like a child's, Mrs. Higurashi clasps her hands together and smiles sheepishly.

"Perhaps I should start at the beginning…?"

---

_-smiles and claps her hands together- There we go! Yet another chapter! I hope this is going along well! It will be a little slow, with slightly short chapters, for a couple more chapters, but then it will pick up wonderfully! Please be patient with me! I hope you all continue to read and enjoy! -bows deeply- Thank you again for all your reviews! They truly make me feel wonderful! Until next time, my friends! Je ne!_

_P.S. Ohhh...I love Kagome's mother! I hope I am doing an alright job of protraying her! Of course, in the show, she's not shown that much, but she's truly an important character nonetheless! She'll play an important part in this story as well, and I hope I'll do her justice and make her seem real!_


	6. The Dog Demon

_Here we are once again! Another chapter, hopefully to the delight of all my faithful readers! -bows deeply- Let me quickly say that I am honored to have so many readers! I never imagined I would get so many so quickly! Thank you all! Well, here you go, my friends! Enjoy!_

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**Protection**

_Chapter Six: "The Dog-Demon"_

---

The ambulance had arrived just five minutes ago, and already the paramedics have gotten the two injured tends onto stretchers and into the vehicle, skillfully managing to fit them in, side by side; a second unit is being sent to pick up the thugs responsible for inflicting such pain upon the teens. The police, of course, are already stationed in the alley with the criminals, though they don't have much to worry about. Every single one of the men is completely unconscious, rendered helpless by a protective young teen with a fiery attitude. Mrs. Higurashi, who's already joined her daughter and 'son' in the ambulance, smiles faintly as she leans out the back door to say goodbye to a very stunned Tesuisa.

"Thank you for everything, Grandmother Tess…! I do not know what would have happened if you had not…" The elderly woman smiles and waves a hand dismissingly, cutting the young mother off gently.

"Don't fret about it, child! I love Kagome as dearly as I would my own granddaughter! Besides, you would have done the same!" A warm, and rather sheepish, smile from the young mother proves the elder's point quickly. Giving her own broad smile, Tesuisa waves again in farewell. "Don't worry about a thing! After I pick up Sota at the shrine, we'll go meet your father at that crazy market he's always spending time at and tell him what's going on! And I'll see you three at the hospital in the morning!" Mrs. Higurashi sighs in relief and waves goodbye in return, grateful for her elder's support, care, and assistance. Tesuisa knows most of the story now, about Inuyasha and Kagome, but she still finds herself questioning it to a degree. After all…it is a pretty far-fetched story, filled with demons and time-travel. However…there's something about the sincere way Mrs. Higurashi had spoken…and the short conversation she had held with Inuyasha… It all does seem to fit, and it would explain quite a few things…perhaps it is true…

---

"Do you know what happened exactly, Mrs. Higurashi?" A young man, perhaps around his twenties, peers up from his clipboard, his kind gray eyes understanding and patient. The woman is a bit frazzled, and worried sick, which is completely understandable. After all, both her children were injured in a mugging! And in such a nice area of the town, too…

"…I'm…I'm not quite sure… I believe Kagome was…attacked by those men…and…Inuyasha interfered…" The young man, Kouhei, according to his nametag, cocks a brow and looks up from his writings.

"Inuyasha? As in 'the dog-demon'?" Mrs. Higurashi cannot help but smile softly at his interest and curious tone. A boy who knows his history and legends…how pleasing! The worried young mother shifts a bit from her spot between the two stretchers and winces as the ambulance takes a corner a bit too sharply. Glancing down at the hanyou lying frightfully still at her left side, Mrs. Higurashi smiles again, this time with a bit more meaning than before.

"Oh yes…and believe me…his name suits him very well." Kouhei nods thoughtfully as he resumes scribbling upon his clipboard, occasionally muttering to himself. His fellow paramedic, Mayu, glances up from her position next to Kagome's stretcher and looks up at the worried mother sitting so stiffly as she gazes sadly at her wounded daughter.

"You know," Mayu states so suddenly that Mrs. Higurashi gives a faint jump of surprise. "I'm rather surprised…not to mention impressed, that these two are doing so well!" The kind mother blushes weakly, and bows her head quickly in respect.

"Hai…well…they are…both…very strong." She muses softly, taking a moment to glance over at Inuyasha; she gives a weak gasp when she finds him peering up at her wearily with great confusion in his hurt violet eyes. Instantly snapping into full attention, she takes his good hand and interlaces her fingers with his own. "Hey," she whispers reassuringly, her tone gentle and kind. "How are you feeling…?" He closes his eyes briefly before turning his head slightly to the left.

"…_What…w-wuz that…?"_ He slurs slowly, his voice strained. Mrs. Higurashi places her other hand on his cheek and tries to offer as much comfort as she possibly can.

"You were…you were shot." The kind woman begins, struggling to figure out a way to explain it so that he'll understand. She's not fully certain whether he is aware of what a gun is or not. "That man used…a weapon called a…gun…" He shudders violently, his breath leaving in a faint grunt of pain. Perhaps he does know after all; most likely Kagome has shared with him this bit of information. He had never, however, actually seen one, only heard about them.

"…_Keh…dunno why they…don't stick with…with swords…s'more noble…"_ He mutters sleepily, and Mrs. Higurashi can't help but smile sadly, weakly, down at him. He has a wonderful point, really, for she, too, has never really understood the full desire people have for guns. And, as Inuyasha indicated without truly meaning to, swords are much more impressive to wield…it doesn't take much talent to know how to pull a trigger. Unnoticed by the two, the young paramedics sit quietly in shock, glancing at one another in bewilderment. What's with this kid?

"Yes…I think so, too. Now you rest some more…I promise I won't leave…" Inuyasaha only grunts softly in agreement before closing his eyes again, letting the dreamless sleep from before take over. For the longest time there is only the faint roaring of the siren to break the silence. Eventually, however, Kouhei can't take it anymore; he's much too curious.

"Mrs. Higurashi? If you don't mind me asking…what's with him?" He tilts his head towards the now unconscious teen, and starts to ask another question. Mayu, however, cuts him off with her own inquiries.

"Hai! How come he didn't know what a gun was?" Mrs. Higurashi looks up at the two with a faint smile, and they're both a bit stunned at the gentle understanding in her gaze.

"He's just not from around here, is all." She states simply before turning her attention back to her 'two' children. Kouhei looks at Mayu and shrugs. She returns the gesture before double-checking her friend's notes on the clipboard. They really shouldn't be that surprised, after all. This _is_ the city…and stranger things _have_ happened…

---

The clock on the wall reads three a.m., but Mrs. Higurashi is finding it impossible to fall asleep. After a long desperate story, and many heart-felt pleas, she got the hospital staff to relent. They had agreed to place her 'two' children in the same room, so that she could be with them both; she also wanted them as close to one another as possible, but she couldn't explain that to the staff, and instead played the 'fretful' mother, gaining what she wished in the end nonetheless. Shifting a bit in the stiff-backed chair, she stifles a faint sigh. Inuyasha has awoken once since arriving, but Kagome remains lost in unconsciousness, much to Mrs. Higurashi's concern. And so, naturally, the young mother finds herself unable to rest. It doesn't help that her worries have increased greatly in the last few hours, thanks to the quickly approaching sunrise.

The kind Dr. Kudo, who has a wonderful smile, warm eyes, and a gentle laugh, had reported back to her the injuries that her 'children' had suffered. Kagome's collarbone is broken in two different places, three of her ribs are fractured, and two more are severely bruised. Dr. Kudo had relocated her shoulder, but not without a warning to her mother that she'll need to baby it slightly, perhaps put it in a sling. Other than that the young miko supports some rather nasty scrapes and harsh bruises. The good doctor is certain, however, that she'll regain consciousness soon.

Inuyasha, on the other hand, still has the doctor a bit baffled. Despite the fact that he's lost quite a deal of blood from the gunshot wound in his shoulder, as well as the from the deep knife injury marking his other arm, and the fact that he suffers from multiple broken ribs, the strange teen still had enough energy to growl lowly at Dr. Kudo's kind hands working to remove the bullet. He'd even snapped his teeth at the man! Only when Mrs. Higurashi knelt down besides his bed and spoken softly to him did he calm down, but not without a few grumbling insults towards this strange place he work up to find himself in.

Mrs. Higurashi smiles faintly and leans back in her chair, absentmindedly rubbing her arms in order to warm them up. She had forgotten her jacket in her desperation to be with her daughter, and is now feeling the consequences. Her weary gaze shifts up to the clock and she sighs softly. Never had she thought that she _wouldn't_ want the sun to rise… Suddenly there's movement behind her, but before she can turn around she feels something soft and rather warm being placed upon her shoulders. She brings her hands up to find a blanket draped over her and the chair…

"I thought you might be cold." Dr. Kudo smiles down softly at her, his eyes kind and understanding. She smiles her thanks almost bashfully and bows her head slightly before turning her gaze to the floor, her pretty face pulled into an expression that only a worried mother can convey. Pulling up a chair, Dr. Kudo motions towards it. "Do you mind if I join you…?' The young mother smiles softly and shakes her head.

"Oh, of course not! Please sit down…that is…if you aren't…"

"My shift just ended, but I thought I'd come in and check on you and those brave kids of yours." Mrs. Higurashi smiles and bows her head again, slightly unsure of how to respond. The doctor seems to understand and remains quiet for a moment, his kind blue eyes sweeping over the room and its occupants. "I guess you're rather for eager for morning, huh? They'll most likely waken tomorrow…" He comes to a stop at the strange look of discomfort on Mrs. Higurashi's face. "…What is it?"

"It's just…it's quite the opposite really…" She smiles faintly and pulls the blanket tighter around her shoulders. Her mind races, and she looks up quickly to look the doctor in the eye. He seems so kind…understanding. And somehow…though she's only just met him…she feels she can trust him. It would be wise, after all, to have someone of high power in the hospital…to be aware of the truth… "Please…in the morning…may I have your word that only you and myself will be present when the sun rises?" The doctor blinks in surprise, a bit shocked by the strange request. Yet…the fretting mother seems so desperate…that he can't help but nod and smile reassuringly.

"Yes…you have my word." The smile that lights up her face is quite fetching, and he finds himself intrigued despite himself. "May I ask why, however…?" Mrs. Higurashi blushes faintly and brushes a few stray bangs out of her eyes.

"Oh…yes…well…" She turns to look at Inuyasha, still fast asleep and unmoving, and suddenly finds herself caught between crying or laughing; instead she just smiles sadly. "Let's just say that…come morning…Inuyasha will be…a little different…"

"I…see…? Oh! I've been meaning to ask you! Doesn't Inuyasha mean 'the dog-demon'?" Mrs. Higurashi chuckles softly and nods, amused as well as pleased by the sudden childish gleam present in the doctor's kind eyes.

"Hai, it does. His name suits him very well."

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_Oh my goodness! My apologies for messing up this chapter previously! I went back and fixed all the mistakes and left out words I could find! (Or couldn't find, depending! -blushes deeply-) I am so sorry! I was in quite a rush, and had to retype the entire thing, for I only had a hardcopy (printed version) of it! (The CD with the story on it was missing at the time!) Oh, I hope it did not take too much away from the story!_


	7. A Secret Revealed

_Gomen nasai! I'm so very sorry!!! I promise I have not abandoned this story, either! It was just put it on a…erm…very long, very unannounced Hiatus! Due to a dying computer, my beloved Godfather falling into a coma (and waking from it!), and countless tragedies as well as happy times, this story has been shoved back into the 'handle later' pile along with my other story! However I am back now!!! And I apologize over and over and OVER for not announcing my leave!! Hopefully this chapter can sooth any of those who actually remember the story!! (Little-Britt – thank you so very much for sticking by me!! You have no idea how happy I was to hear from you again!!) Sorry, sorry, sorry again!!! Please forgive me and enjoy!!_

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**Protection**

_Chapter 7 – A Secret Revealed_

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Five thirty in the morning – just a few minutes before sunrise – Mrs. Higurashi stirs in her chair, her deep brown eyes fluttering open as a kind hand shakes her left shoulder gently.

"Morning, sunshine." It takes a moment for her to place the warm soothing voice, but when she does, she smiles almost shyly. "You said to be here a little bit before the sun, sooo…here I am!"

"T-thank you, Dr. Kudo…" She yawns sleepily before sitting up straight and stretching her arms high above her head. When she lowers them back down she grins softly at the kind doctor already checking up on her daughter. In truth, she's a bit surprised he came, but here he is…

"Kagome is doing impressively well. Looks like your Inuyasha did a good job of looking after her…" He notes light-heartedly, very pleased with the young woman's progress. Only a strange soft grumble comes as a reply, however, and he turns around to see Mrs. Higurashi already kneeling besides the bed of a very disgruntled Inuyasha.

He is quite awake and even sitting up, which catches Dr. Kudo by surprise. Instead of looking pained or tired as one might expect, he appears instead to be rather aggravated. With a low annoyed growl the teen pokes at the I.V. in his arm, not at all pleased.

"Inuyasha…" Mrs. Higurashi scolds gently, taking his hand in her own and pulling it away from the modern-day device. "Leave it there for now, alright? At least until you can get out of bed…"

"Keh…" He growls softly as he yanks his hand away, though not too forcefully. Trying to ignore her unsettling motherly concern, he glances up at the lightening skies showing through the window with a slightly uneasy look. Dark violet eyes flash to the confused doctor before returning to Mrs. Higurashi. "Ain't he gonna leave?" He questions faintly, not at all pleased with the idea of yet another being knowing his secret. The miko's mother offers an apologetic smile.

"If it is all right with you…I would like him to stay. If he learns the truth, he can treat you while preventing trouble from the hospital…" For a few moments the hanyou only glowers silently at the I.V., mindlessly focusing on the foreign object. She has a valid point, however his pride refuses to just simply surrender to her wishes. Still…if it means he can stay with Kagome without having to sneak about…

"…Whatever." The teen almost moves to cross his arms, but stops sharply as pain shoots through his shoulder and ribs. "…Damn it…" He grumbles, silently willing his tense muscles to relaxing. Slouching forward slightly, grumpily muttering under his breath, he carries the adorable appearance of a pouting child. The kindhearted mother besides him cannot hold back her adoring smile.

"Relax, dear, it'll go away in a little bit," she sooths gently, reaching out to brush back his bangs in a comforting manner; he does not allow it.

"Yeah, yeah…" He scoffs lowly, scooting away from Mrs. Higurashi and her kind words. Despite his harsh attitude he actually finds himself…very grateful…for her understanding and motherly concern. It feels rather…nice…to have such a figure in his life again. Saying so, or even allowing such affection, however, is a different story entirely.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Higurashi…may I speak with you for a moment?" The calm tone of the professional doctor earns the faintest of flushes from the concerned mother. With a gentle smile, she gets to her feet, her expression one of pure curiosity. He beckons her closer with a soft movement of his hand, and she finds herself slightly eager to join his side.

"Yes, Dr. Kudo?" She questions gently, leaning forward just the slightest bit. The doctor glances over at Inuyasha, whose dark gaze is locked onto the window, only briefly before focusing his full attention on the beautiful young mother before him.

"That young man…he's not really related to you, is he?" Dr. Kudo really is not certain as to why he felt inclined to ask; instantly he regrets the rash question, especially when Mrs. Higurashi's expression shifts, her eyes holding a downhearted gleam. However, before he can gush frantically that he had not meant to be rude, and she really does not need to answer, she looks up to smile softly, almost sadly at him.

"No…he's not. I just gave my last name as his own because…he…doesn't really have one…and I thought it'd only make things more complicated if I didn't supply it." The reply catches him off guard at first, for though he wasn't expecting her to say 'yes', the actual truth is still a bit shocking. After all…who does not have a proper last name? Pondering on her words for a moment, the curious doctor lifts a hand to brush his fingers through his thick brown hair in a slightly shy manner – a habit he has never been able to drop.

"I see…you have an excellent point actually. So…I take it he's…an orphan, perhaps?" His assumption is right on the dot, for Mrs. Higurashi lowers her gaze to the floor.

"…Yes." At the mere sound of her voice, holding that melancholy sigh, the kind doctor places his hand on her shoulder in reassurance. In truth…he is rather pleased that the teen has such a kind woman to care about him. After all…Dr. Kudo himself was an orphan as a child, too…and he had not been nearly as lucky as this intriguing youth. Just as he goes to offer another touch of comfort, perhaps even daring to tell her his thoughts, there comes an almost…happy…exclamation from across the room.

"Finally!" Dr. Kudo glances up quickly as the young mother turns to spy Inuyasha smirking slyly, his gaze locked on the lightening skies visible through the window. Mrs. Higurashi smiles warmly and walks to his bedside as the teen tilts his head to glance at her, his violet eyes glittering in an odd manner. The doctor stays a few feet away, however, his keen gaze taking in the scene with rapt attention. If he is not mistaken…the boy's hair is …fading in color.

Inuyasha's eyes flutter shut briefly in a sense of contentment as his looks give a faint glimmer, and for a brief, almost fantastical, moment it appears as if he just may be…glowing. In a subconscious action he tilts his face towards the sun's growing warmth, desperately seeking the change about to occur. In a matter of moments his hair completely lightens up, a mass of shimmering silver replacing the black.

At the feel of his natural strength returning, he allows himself a slightly cocky smirk, revealing glittering fangs; the doctor takes an involuntary step backwards. His shock is only fueled further when the odd teen raises a hand to stretch the stiff joints of his fingers, for at the ends of his fingertips…he appears to have _claws._ Inuyasha cocks his head slightly, and looks up with golden eyes much like a feline's, complete with thin pupils, as Mrs. Higurashi grins happily and reaches towards the top of his head. Two triangular ears, covered with a fine silky white fur, twitch faintly in annoyance. Dog ears, by the look of them…the boy has grown dog ears…

"Oh…!" Mrs. Higurashi coos softly, unable to resist the temptation to gently rub the back of his most noticeable canine feature. Inuyasha growls lowly and starts to pull back, but his ribs jolt painfully and his shoulder joins in with the protest. Suddenly her fingers are gently grazing the soft fur rimming his ears, and the pain is completely forgotten. Golden eyes flutter halfway shut as he releases a faint…sigh; an instant later there comes a soft sound much like a gentle growl, or even a purr. Mrs. Higurashi giggles like a schoolgirl at the mere sound. "How adorable!"

It takes him quite a few moments for his happily hazy mind to even attempt to clear, but eventually Inuyasha seems grasp at just what is occurring. _"HEY!" _He growls, pulling back as quickly as he dares, his ribs stinging with the movement. "Don't _do_ that!!" Crossing his arms slowly he resumes his 'pouting' position, though his golden eyes glitter dangerously at the woman who _dared_ to touch his ears. Even though…he did, maybe, perhaps…possibly _enjoy_ it...

"I'm sorry, dear, but I couldn't help myself!" Mrs. Higurashi giggles shyly, pulling back her hands to place them in her lap. At the mere sight of her warm smile, the disgruntled hanyou cannot help but forgive her. Actually voicing that fact, however, is beyond his current abilities at the moment.

"Keh. Whatever…just…don't do it again." Inuyasha shifts his gaze across the room to spy the doctor simply standing there…and staring. Instantly the hanyou glowers, his ears shifting back as he bears his fangs slightly. "What are you lookin' at?" He questions harshly, his tone annoyed and challenging in an attempt to hide the faint hurt that comes with being gawked at in such a manner. Grumbling, he glares downwards and spies the foreign object impaled into his arm. His growling only increases as he picks at the I.V. once again, his claws lightly scratching the surface of the stupid thing.

"Inuyasha, I told you not to mess with that." Mrs. Higurashi scolds lightly before gently batting his hand away. He growls instead at her, but leaves the contraption alone, not wishing to be reprimanded again. She takes a moment to tickle the hanyou's ears once again, which earns another faint purr and droopy eyelids, before she walks over to the stunned man gazing at the hanyou in silence. "Umm…Dr. Kudo?"

"Hmm…just…what…?" He questions softly, his tone one of confusion and pure curiosity as he keeps his eyes locked onto the dog-eared teen. Now it is perfectly clear as to why Mrs. Higurashi insisted his name suits him perfectly. Taking the stunned man's hands in her own, the sweet-tempered mother offers a warm understanding smile.

"Not 'what'. _Who_. He's Inuyasha…a hanyou…or half demon, if you will." The doctor merely glances at her, confused, but then his gaze returns to the teen slumped on the bed, his strange ears pressed flat against his head. A half demon…in a world of humans? How difficult that must be…

"A hanyou?" There is an odd lift to his voice, and when he turns to look at Mrs. Higurashi…he is smiling. "It seems to me that he got the best out of both worlds, hmm?" As the kindhearted mother returns the smile happily, Inuyasha glances over at the strange man in faint shock, his ears perking up slightly. He has never really heard it put that way before…and in a way…it is rather true. Humming thoughtfully, Dr. Kudo lifts a hand to run his fingers through his bangs once again. "Well I can certainly see why you didn't want anyone here."

"Keh." The hanyou grumbles in return, his attention back on the I.V. once again. He has yet to figure out its purpose, and the fact that it is actually _under_ his skin truly bothers him. While it is not painful, not to him anyway, it certainly is not the most comfortable thing in the world. Mrs. Higurashi exhales softly, not even having to turn to look at him.

"Inuyasha…" She warns with a gentle sigh. His ears flatten instantly.

"But it's annoyin'!" He complains, growling lowly at the strange contraption.

"We'll take it out as soon as you're fit to leave the bed, though that will take some time," Dr. Kudo explains, still worried for the young teen's health; however at that moment he notices something he had missed previously. Inuyasha's posture is straighter than before, and judging by the steady rise and fall of his chest, his breathing is no longer as pained as it had been. No longer does he gasp for air, struggling with his battered ribs. By the looks of it…he seems to be faring far better. Impressed, and utterly curious, the doctor turns to Mrs. Higurashi in order to question the extent of the abilities brought on by Inuyasha's heritage. He barely has time to open his mouth before the hanyou speaks.

"Hey." The two adults glance over at the teen to see his stunning golden gaze locked onto the bed on the opposite side of the room. Its occupant has not moved the entire time, and this worries the hanyou to no end. "…How is she?"

Mrs. Higurashi smiles softly at the sound of hidden fret in his attempt at an uncaring tone. Moving away from the doctor, she returns to the hanyou's side once more; slender fingers itch to rub those ears of his again. "Thanks to you…she's going to be just fine…" Inuyasha huffs softly and shrugs his shoulders, as if he could truly care less, but there is a noticeable gleam in his eyes that speaks of relief. Unable to hold back, Kagome's mother once again leans up and brushes the soft fur of the hanyou's ears…and once again she is rewarded with half-closed eyes of gold and a low gentle rumble of pleasure. Her stunning smile causes the observing doctor's heart to give an odd flutter as she coos her happiness over the hanyou's reaction to the tender petting. _"Cuuuttteeee…"_

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_And there we have it!! Another chapter for any of the dedicated readers out there who may still actually be interested in this old story!! I apologize again (even though I was told not to…I can't help it!! I'm still sorry!!) But I wanted to give a big 'Thank you!' to Little-Britt again for making my return warm and welcoming!! I'll give my Godfather your regards!! He'll be adorably embarrassed to hear someone's thinking about him! Hee hee!! Until next time (which shall be SOON, I promise!!) Je ne, my friends!!_


	8. Curious Thoughts

_Oh my Goodness – I cannot tell you just how happy all your reviews made me!!! Stay turned after the chapter for responses to all your reviews! Hee hee!! But for now – enjoy the story!! I hope it lives up to your expectations!!_

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**Protection**

_Chapter 8 – Curious Thoughts_

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A few hours of angered pleas, harsh curses, and reluctant 'puppy dog eyes' later, Inuyasha finally convinces Dr. Kudo to remove the dreaded annoyance called an I.V. from his arm. At long last free of the stupid contraption, the hanyou slides off of his mattress, despite both Mrs. Higurashi and Dr. Kudo's protests. With a low growl he limps to Kagome's bed, turns his back to the still sleeping miko, bends his knees without hesitation and drops to the floor, sitting Indian-style with his legs crossed and his arms tucked into the sleeves of his undershirt. Luckily for him, as well as the nurses, they had not attempted to change him into a hospital gown.

Dr. Kudo cannot help but smile softly at the protective aura seeping off the agitated teen as he positions himself as close to Kagome as he dares. Turning to the girl's mother, he grants her a purely curious look. Mrs. Higurashi smiles warmly at the questions dancing in his eyes and leans forward to take him by the hand. Ignoring the fact that her cheeks suddenly feel a tad warmer, she leads him out the door and carefully shuts it behind them. Standing up on her tiptoes, her brown eyes sparkling, she peers through the glass in time to see Inuyasha's ears twitch with curiosity as he glances at the door before shuddering and dropping his gaze once again. Turning back around, she smiles once more and clasps her hands together, that brilliant smile granting the doctor permission to ask away; he dives in instantly.

"That's a cute little guard dog act he's got going on." He comments warmly, his eyes sparkling. "May I inquire as to just what their relationship is?" The moment he asks, he regrets it – how horridly rude to ask such a personal question! "I mean…erm…that is you…you do not have to answer!! It is, after all, none of my business!" He stutters quickly, sheepishly rubbing his hand through his bangs in embarrassment. Still, he cannot help but wish deeply to learn everything he can about the hanyou and his female companion After all, Dr. Kudo has always adored the legends, and as a youth often dreamt of living an adventure such as those in the classic 'fairy tales'. What child does not wish to be a hero, save the damsel in distress, and see wonders beyond one's wildest dreams? Now suddenly he has a living breathing legend in his presence…and it is taking every ounce of self control not to just plop down besides the teen and ask a million questions. Somehow Mrs. Higurashi seems to understand this, for she gives an adorable giggle at the sight of his faintly flushed cheeks.

"It's quite alright." She assures him, her pleasant smile never faltering. "To be honest, their relationship is a tad…complicated." As she speaks, Mrs. Higurashi turns her gaze back to the window in the door and peers into the room once again, her stunning chocolate hued eyes holding a sad gleam to them. "You see…Inuyasha is extremely protective of Kagome…" She watches in silence as Inuyasha shifts his position slightly. Moving cautiously, he turns slightly to the left, so that he can look upon Kagome without jarring his painful ribs in the process; his golden eyes narrow as he gazes at her…not in anger, however, but rather in worry and perhaps disappointment…in himself. One of his ears gives a faint twitch before he releases a sigh, his shoulders slumping faintly; shifting back into his original position, he turns to face forward, his gaze now locked onto the floor.

"…There have been many times when she could have been seriously injured, had Inuyasha not been there to protect her." The concerned mother lifts a slender hand to place her delicate fingers upon the glass forming a barrier between her and the wounded teens. "I have the feeling he cares deeply for her, more so then he may realize, but no matter what happens between them…he made a promise that he would protect her…and he's never backed down from that."

The kind doctor merely nods softly in return, his deep blue eyes extremely thoughtful; beyond curious, he leans forward slightly, looking over Mrs. Higurashi's shoulder in order to get a good look at the hanyou keeping watch over his miko. A faint hum of wonder slips through his throat before he can stop it. "He really is one of a kind, isn't he?" The young mother standing in front of him smiles warmly as she glances back slightly to catch sight of his handsome features painted with true wonder and curiosity. He has a wondrous point, one she agrees with completely. After all, she only has to think about all the things she knows that her daughter and Inuyasha have accomplished together. Alone the half-demon is a force not to be reckoned with, but when Kagome is with him, his power intensifies greatly. Mrs. Higurashi has seen their power before, in the middle of a night not too long ago, when she had come outside to find Kagome and Inuyasha training in the moon's soft light.

Her daughter had been using her bow and arrows, focusing her abilities so that she would not do any true harm to her hanyou friend. Her aim had been beyond amazing, honed with her countless hours of practice, yet no matter how hard she tried, she could not get a hit on Inuyasha, who either dodged the flying missiles or knocked then away with his sword, Tetsusaiga. After a good twenty minutes or so of the unnoticed mother watching them, the two had taken a break, lying down side by side in the short grass closer to the house. First they exchanged compliments on each other's attacks, as well as areas for improvement, before slipping into to a casual conversation. Of course it was not long before they were both sitting up and arguing, which resulted with Inuyasha slamming into the ground at Kagome's cry of 'Sit, boy!' After a bit more yelling, another slam into the ground, as well as a few angry cries from both hanyou and miko along with some pouting, the two began to calm, and seemingly dismissed the fight, as they always do. With that out of the way, they decided to practice some more; instead of battling against each other the second time, however, they had attempted a few attacks together, as one, on an old nearby tree stump that was simply waiting to be pulled up. Needless to say, Mrs. Higurashi was left utterly impressed and the stump…annihilated.

"Well then…I would ask to check on his injuries…however I have the feeling he's not going to come quietly," Dr. Kudo's amused yet thoughtful statement snaps the young mother out of her thoughts. Blinking, she turns back to him, her expression slightly confused before she smiles warmly, finally back on track.

"He is rather stubborn, however I can try to convince him to allow you to look. To be honest, the two only things I'm really worried about are his ribs and shoulder …" Brown eyes flicker back to the window to catch sight of the hanyou stifling a large yawn…before he proceeds to rid one of his ears of an itch with a back foot. The doctor stares in entertained astonishment at this dog-like scratching action while Mrs. Higurashi giggles softly. "Well then…perhaps not. It seem as if his ribs are already healing nicely." The doctor turns to give her a brilliant grin, one that startles her into flushing ever so slightly.

"Let me see…since he is a hanyou, it is obvious that one of his parents was a demon," he recites mainly to keep himself up to date; a gentle nod confirms his assumption. "Well then, it would not be too haughty to assume that he inherited quite a few traits, not all physical of course, from that side of his heritage. Superior healing abilities included?" Mrs. Higurashi smiles again and nods eagerly in agreement, pleased that the kind doctor is taking this all so well.

"Yes…that's about right." Once again she turns to look through the window; immediately she gives a soft gasp of surprise and jerks back. Were it not for the fact that Dr. Kudo instinctively slips his hands over her shoulders, steadying her, she would have stumbled for certain. A pair of slightly pained golden eyes gaze at them through the glass for only a moment before the door swings open and a very discontented hanyou cocks his head at the two adults.

"Hey," He greets, wrinkling his nose slightly in a rather weary yet childish manner. "This place got anythin' t' eat?" Mrs. Higurashi can only gaze at him for a moment, still a tad confused, before it sinks in and she grants him a beautiful smile. Glancing over her shoulders, she gives the same smile to the doctor, whose cheeks flush faintly in startled embarrassment as he yanks his hands back. He does not have a chance to apologize, however, for the young mother leans forward to speak to the disgruntled hanyou instead.

"It's wonderful to hear that you are hungry! Just hold on a moment, dear!" She reassures him before quickly turning back to Dr. Kudo. That smile of hers never seems to falter, and it certainly does not help his heart rate to steady. "I do not wish to be a bother, however may I ask where we can get some breakfast?" Those fascinating dog-ears perk up instantly, swiveling forward at the mere mention of food. Glancing over at the hanyou, who, with his arms crossed in an attempt to look utterly uninterested, is obviously starving, Dr. Kudo smiles almost impishly.

"Hmmm…I don't really know what's on the menu at the moment, but I'm positive I can whip something up! It's no bother at all," He assures Mrs. Higurashi before she can gush out an apology or even grant him a thank you. The grateful sparkle in her deep brown eyes is more than enough thanks for him. Flushing faintly, she bows slightly anyway before ushering a slightly confused Inuyasha back into the room. The door shuts behind them and Dr. Kudo finds himself alone in the hall, unable to hold back a smile. Whoever said being a doctor was a dreary profession…?

A few moments after the door clicks shut, Mrs. Higurashi turns to Inuyasha and places one hand on her hip, her brown eyes as stern and determined as Kagome's often are when Inuyasha needs a good scolding. "Go on and sit back down. I promise you'll get some food in a little bit." The hanyou growls softly as he hunches forward, one canine ear twitching slightly in a mixture of true and farce annoyance. He has never been one to simply obey orders, but when the unwavering mother points to the bed, where her daughter lies unmoving, his determination to be stubborn dissolves. Grumbling softly in defeat, Inuyasha plops back down in the same position as before, his golden gaze once again locked onto the floor.

Mrs. Higurashi cocks her head slightly, watching the hanyou with great curiosity; he is such a strange mystery, but it is quite easy for her to see why Kagome enjoys his company so much. Despite the fact that he is hot-tempered, slightly over-violent, and can be very harsh and cold at times, there is a kind side to him too. According to Kagome, when someone is in trouble Inuyasha cannot just stand by…he has got to do something to help…even if he does need the occasional push from his companions to do the right thing. He protects his friends with everything he has, fights for what he stands for, and…one of the most interesting quirks of all…he cannot stand to see a girl cry.

Sitting down in her chair, Mrs. Higurashi props her elbow on the table and tucks her chin into her palm. Inuyasha truly is fascinating. Although he acts tough and uncaring, she knows that deep down he is a rather troubled being. She has seen him sleeping, curled up on Kagome's bed as her daughter studied for yet another test or exam. Somewhere, she is not quite certain as to where, she read an article focusing fully on sleeping habits. Apparently those who sleep curled up, as if to protect themselves even in their sleep, are actually very insecure. While he certainly acts high and mighty to all whole dare interact with him, deep down he is troubled and worrisome…perhaps even very frightened at times. The more she ponders on it, the more it makes sense.

His parents died when he was still very young, leaving him to grow up in a time in which neither species of his heritage cared for him; the humans feared him, the demons looked down upon him. With no one to look to for comfort or consoling, the half-breed was forced to grow up too soon, leaving him hard and uncaring, only knowing the way to survive as to fight or die. At one point he may have believed he had found happiness, a place to belong, but it was false. Tragedy soon followed, leaving him imprisoned by a sacred arrow for fifty years. Then…he met Kagome.

The young miko has changed him…Mrs. Higurashi can see that quite clearly. When she first encountered the hanyou he had entered their dining room in a fury, coming only in order to drag her daughter back to his time. After tweaking his ears once in fascination, much to the aggravation of Inuyasha and the embarrassment of Kagome, she had let them go, knowing it must be something important. Besides, despite his so harsh and rude behavior, as well as the cold gleam in his eyes, even then there had been something far greater hidden beneath…

The more often the hanyou came to the present, the greater the change she noticed in him; Inuyasha began to ease up, his actions a tad more friendly then before as he grew more relaxed. It was not long before he had the respect and admiration of Sõta, the suspension of Grandpa, Kagome's friendship, and Mrs. Higurashi's approval. Then of course, there is their cat, Buyo, who seems to really enjoy Inuyasha's company. When he is not playing with the hanyou he often follows him around, waiting for the opportune moment to curl up in his lap.

"…What are ya lookin' at?" Startled, Mrs. Higurashi snaps out of her thoughts, her cheeks faintly tinted pink at the sound of the hanyou's curiously annoyed question. She had not realized she was staring. Granting him a content joyous smile, she clasps her hands together and utters the first thing that comes to mind.

"You have such cute ears!" She chirps, much like a child; Inuyasha merely stares at her in shock before shaking his head in disbelief. Women…who can understand them?

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_There we have it!! I hope it satisfies! (As well as leaves you wanting more! Hee hee!!) I wanted to thank you all again for your support and the amazing warm welcome I was given upon my return! You have no idea how much that means to me!!_

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_**Responses to all my fabulous reviewers!! (In alphabetical order, too!)**_

_artgalgenuis – Oh my goodness…three times?! Wow…!! I am so happy that this story is bringing up such emotions in everyone! That's what I was aiming for, though I didn't think I'd really succeed! I promise to keep trying!! _

_Avelyn Lauren – I'm glad you think it good! I hope you stay with us for the whole story (though it'll be a long one!!) And awww!! You added me to your story list!! I feel so honored!! (And don't apologize, silly!!)_

_g2fan – Welcome to Wendy!! I hope you stick around!! It's a great site, and there are so many wonderful stories around here!! (Like Lil-Yasha's!! She's amazing!! You ought to read her stuff!!) I hope you have as much fun here as I do!!_

_IcelandAnimeGirl: Awww!! I am so glad you stumbled upon this!! (Sometimes those accidental stories are the best one!!) I am more than happy that you think it was worth your time!! I promise to try my hardest to continue to update for ya! Hee hee!_

_Lil-Britt: Ooooh, I have missed you so much!! And wow! Perfected, huh!? Gah!! Don't know what to say!! Oh oh! And ha ha!! Dr. Kudo Love. He's going to have an important role in this story, as it is going to take place mainly at the hospital. (Le gasp, right?!) I love the ear rubbing, too! I don't think I would ever stop petting those ears if I had a hanyou of my own to adore and coo over! Hee hee! hugs back!! I am glad to be back, Lil-Britt, Lil-Britt, Lil-Britt!! Yay!!! Oh! As for my Godfather, don't worry about it mix-up!! It's an easy mistake to make!! beams Thank you so much for your support, though!! I'll be sure to tell him!! He'll be quite embarrassed but happily so to hear that!!_

_Lizze Leigh – Aww! You love it! You really love it!! I'll be certain to keep updating this time!! (Hopefully nothing bad will happen this time around! Egads!!)_

_Moonrabbit04 – Gaah!! You make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!! Hee hee!! Thank you so much! My Godfather's getting better by the day!! And aww, I can't help it! I still feel bad about leaving like that! But doncha worry, I'll be updating often now!!_

_sqeekers – Hello hello! I remember you!! I'm glad to be back, and thank you!!! I hope you'll stay for the rest of the story, too!!_


	9. Of Tears and Teasing

_Once again I have to thank you, thank you, Thank You for all the reviews you guys have been sending my way!! I can't tell you how much they brighten up my days!! And, since you all were just so kind, I shall return the favor with Gasp!! Another chapter!! Enjoy my friends!!_

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**Protection**

_Chapter 9 – Of Tears and Teasing_

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"Breakfast time!" Dr. Kudo proclaims cheerfully as he nudges the door to the room open with his shoulder. As soon he steps inside he spies Mrs. Higurashi smiling happily at him, with an extremely interested hanyou seated once more in front of the bed. Pleased by the teen's obvious appetite, the kind doctor flashes them both a slightly cheesy grin. "Eggs and bacon, anyone?"

Inuyasha sniffs the air gingerly, sampling at the warm foods' scent, his golden gaze locked onto the large tray as the doctor sets it down on the table next to the chair. Mrs. Higurashi gives a slightly shy smile as she nods her thanks and takes a plate and fork in hand. With the deft movements of one who is constantly preparing meals, she piles the plate with a hearty portion; satisfied by the amount, she walks over to the bed and offers the meal to the hanyou seated on the floor. Inuyasha instantly takes the flat disk with the still steaming edibles and grins, his golden eyes lighting up; as usual, when it comes to food he reverts back into a child.

"Hmmmm…" He growls softly, poking at the strange yellow stuff with the metal eating utensil. His nose wrinkles slightly in distaste. "…Looks different then Kagome's…color's wrong…" At this the doctor exchanges a look with Mrs. Higurashi; a second later both adults find themselves unable to hold back their laughter. Inuyasha blinks at the sound of their mirth and looks up with a slightly perplexed expression.

"Sorry, dear…" Mrs. Higurashi apologizes, finally calming down from her fit of giggles. The stress of the previous night's events has had her on edge – it feels wonderful to simply laugh over such an adorable reaction. "It's just that Hospital food is known for being rather…well…"

"It's not the best, that's for sure." Dr. Kudo finishes with a smile as he hands over a plate to the beautiful young mother seated next to him. Still slightly confused, Inuyasha tilts his head slightly to the left, watching the doctor fix his own plate, before he shakes his head and resumes eating. The meal is definitely not as tasty as Kagome's…nowhere near really, but at least it is food. Take what you can get, a lesson learned early on by the hanyou.

For quite a while all is silent, save for the soft clicking of forks against plates and the annoying hum of the hospital equipment. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Inuyasha jerks his head up suddenly, his ears giving a faint twitch. He nearly drops his plate when he turns around to almost frantically look behind him. Wincing as his shoulder burns and his ribs ache, he shoves the now empty platter onto the floor with a clatter and turns around completely to face Kagome's bed.

Knowing precisely why the Hanyou is reacting in such a manner, Mrs. Higurashi hurriedly sets her own breakfast onto the table and instantly joins his side, her hand already on her daughter's. At the soft brush of her mother's gentle touch Kagome stirs, releasing a low grown as her confused brown eyes flutter open slowly.

"…_M-mama_…?" Her breath comes in a sharp soft gasp, her battered ribs making it difficult to inhale. Mrs. Higurashi smiles softly, her concerned gaze pained, and grazes her daughter's cheek with trembling fingertips.

"Hey, sweetie…" At the mere sound of her mother's voice, Kagome instantly bursts into tears. Inuyasha, still unnoticed by the weeping miko, presses his ears flat against his head at the sound of her heart-wrenching sobs. He crosses his arms on the bed, slipping his chin in between them as his shoulders slump in distress in the classic 'sad-puppy pose'. Dr. Kudo watches on with a sorrowful understanding, and silently steps back to lean against the back wall, as if to give the small 'family' some space.

"…_M-mama…I_…" The words get caught in her throat, and she only begins to cry harder, the pain from her own sobs only increasing the desire to weep. A moment later Inuyasha peeks over her mother's shoulder and peers down at the miko with regretful eyes of gold.

"Hey…n-no cryin'!" He demands softly, his ears still pressed flat against his head in distraught uneasiness. Kagome turns her head slowly to gaze up at him, her brown eyes still rimming with tears. Noting the fresh bandages showing from underneath his shirt, she simply starts sobbing all over again. Mrs. Higurashi offers the hanyou a faint smile as she moves over, allowing Inuyasha to kneel besides her daughter. The moment he does, Kagome reaches out with shaking fingers.

"…_Inu…Inuyasha…s-sit…"_ She whispers tearfully with the softest voice she can muster; a moment later the strange necklace around Inuyasha's neck glows lightly. The hanyou releases a faint gasp as his upper body is pulled down onto the bed with a surprisingly soft force.

"Hey! W-whaddah do!?" His demanded question holds only a weak attempt at anger as he lifts his face off the blankets. Her only reply is a sob as she grabs him with her good arm, pulling him close, before burying her face into his shoulder. He tenses up at first, but as she begins to weep into his shirt, holding him tight, he finds himself wrapping his arms around her, his movements unbelievably gentle considering his normal attitude.

Mrs. Higurashi watches the two embrace, her daughter sobbing uncontrollably into the hanyou's shoulder as he buries his face in her tangled hair, his ears still drooping in distress at the entire situation, and she finds herself smiling softly. In perfect honesty…is she is rather pleased that Kagome has found such a wonderful 'friend' as Inuyasha. Even though their relationship is a troubled one, they would still do anything for one each other.

"So…how are you feeling?" Dr. Kudo comes to stand next to Mrs. Higurashi, granting the two teenagers a kind understanding smile. Kagome only gives a faint sniff and just clings harder to Inuyasha, who tightens his grip slightly on her shirt and nestles his face into her neck, his ears still lowered in grief at her current condition.

"…Sore…" She finally admits softly as she avoids locking eyes with the kind doctor. "…An' tired…" The hanyou's grip on her gown tightens a bit more and she is startled into blinking back a few tears when she notices that he is…trembling…but only slightly…much like he tends to do after a desperate battle…

"Well then, dear, we'll leave you two alone." Mrs. Higurashi proclaims gently with a motherly grin; getting to her feet with much grace, she slips her hand into Dr. Kudo's. Kagome shifts a bit, her brown eyes faintly pained as her mother flashes another smile, and leads a rather confused, as well as a faintly blushing, Dr. Kudo out of the room, the door shutting behind them. Finding herself alone with Inuyasha, the miko's brave façade falls instantly. Bursting into fresh sobs, the tears returning to stream in torrents down her cheeks, she wraps her arms around Inuyasha's neck, only wincing slightly when her left arm jolts in pain, and weeps into his shoulder once more.

"…No cryin'…" He mumbles with a faint sigh as he nuzzles his face in her hair again, desperate for her usual happy, caring, and rather feisty self to return.

"S-shut up! I'll cry if I w-want to!" She protests with a hint of her natural fiery nature, though her tears do not falter in the least. With another sigh Inuyasha pulls back, his cheek brushing against hers.

"Well stop. It's annoyin'." Kagome grasps almost frantically for him, desperate for his warmth, and needing his very presence to remain calm. With a soft growl he takes her hand and grazes the I.V. gracing the skin just below her wrist; wrinkling his nose childishly he pokes at the strange device with a claw. "Stupid things, aren't they?" Kagome manages a weak smile, her eyes still glittering with tears.

"…Inuyasha…" The hanyou blinks and looks back up at her, slightly hunched forward and appearing almost guilty in his actions. "…Thank you…" Those fascinating ears of his press back against his head once more.

"…Uhh…what for?" Kagome smiles again, softer this time, and pulls his hand against her cheek, holding it there as she closes her eyes, tears spilling upon his fingers.

"…You came for me…" This time his ears twitch in farce annoyance, however he does not yank his hand back.

"Keh. You really are stupid, aren't you?" Kagome looks up at him, her eyes holding a gleam of hurt. Yet Inuyasha only smirks and pulls back his hand, taking hers with it in order to nuzzle her fingers against his own cheek, his golden eyes half-way closing in contentment. "…I said I'd always protect you…"

---

"…Houshi-sama?" From his position besides the fire, the young monk stifles a yawn as he busies himself with his sleeping bag, struggling in vain to fold it up properly.

"Yes, Lady Sango?" He mumbles, still not completely awake; just as he is about to fold the thick fabric in half Kirara shuffles over and plops right down in the middle of his previous bed with a soft squeak of pleasure. Caught between smiling and frowning, he simply sighs instead. A moment later Sango leans over to pull her mischievous little furry friend into her arms, getting her out of his way.

"…They haven't come back yet…do you think something terrible has happened?" There is no answer at first, and Sango is caught between believing that the monk is trying to think of a way to say what he believes without worrying her…or that he is considering itching his hand to a certain area where it should not be. Luckily for Miroku, he chooses the former.

"To be honest, Lady Sango…I think something may indeed have happened. We have yet to come upon a situation where one of Inuyasha's hunches was false. Let us hope that he got to Kagome in time to prevent whatever it was that caused that sense of uneasiness." Miroku releases another sigh, this one more worried then annoyed as before, and finishes folding up his sleeping bag; since they do not plan on going anywhere until Inuyasha and Kagome return, he simply tucks it away against the wall of the small cabin. Besides, he has been awfully worn down lately, and taking a nap later on may not be such a horrid idea.

"You know, Houshi…for someone as big a Hentai as you…" Getting to her feet Sango moves towards the door, just pausing long enough to pat the monk lightly on the shoulder. "…You're awfully considerate."

The young priest merely blinks as she leaves the room without another word, and, after a moment of denial, he discovers his cheeks are burning.

"Oohhh…_Miroku likes Sango!!!"_ The impish muffled taunt floats out from underneath a spare blanket with a hint of relish; an instant later the monk's staff comes down to land on a hard little lump hidden under the fabric. The said 'lump' releases a squeal of pain, followed by a sobbing cry of "S-sango!!! Miroku's being mean to me!!"

"Houshi-sama!" Comes the warning call, which in turn earns a wince from the priest and a rather impish grin from Shippo as he scampers out from underneath the blanket.

"Thanks a lot, twerp." Miroku sighs, preparing himself for another painful lesson gladly taught by Sango. So much for being considerate…

"You've been spending too much time with Inuyasha!" Shippo informs him with his little arms crossed and his tail swishing side to side. "You're starting to act like him!" The monk only grumbles and raises his staff to whack the little kitsune once again. He never gets the chance, however for Shippo opens his mouth and cries out louder than before, "Sango!!!"

"_HOUSHI!!!!!"_

"…Uh oh…"

---

_Wow, that one was a tad difficult to write (all things considering!!) But I hope it satisfied!! Look forward to more! I plan on updating at LEAST once a week, though my true aim is for twice, and perhaps even three times – it all depends how my Godfather's health is, how much homework I have, and what my work schedule is! Hee hee!! Well, until next time - je ne, my friends!!_


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